Pius Akutah, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers\u2019 Council (NSC), announced that the council has played a significant role in saving Nigeria billions of naira by effectively performing its statutory duties. Mr. Akutah made this statement during his maiden visit to Kaduna on Sunday, where he met with the council\u2019s staff and members of the Kaduna State Shippers Association (KSSA).<\/p>\n
During the visit, Mr. Akutah highlighted the council\u2019s achievements, particularly its efficient dispute resolution mechanism, which has significantly bolstered its operations. According to him, the NSC has successfully handled various complaints, including those related to cargo loss and the associated charges, by ensuring professional and timely resolutions.<\/p>\n
In his remarks, Mr. Akutah emphasized the importance of rail transportation in facilitating the efficient movement of cargo from seaports to inland locations. He lauded the ongoing efforts by President Bola Tinubu\u2019s administration to revamp the country\u2019s rail system, noting that this initiative would provide a more viable and cost-effective means of transporting goods across the country.<\/p>\n
He recalled the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the NSC and the Nigerian Railways Corporation, aimed at enhancing rail transport integration within the ports. This collaboration is expected to address the challenges associated with rail transportation costs and promote the use of rail systems for cargo movement.<\/p>\n
Mr. Akutah further disclosed that the federal government is currently in discussions to repair and repurpose the old light gauge rail system, dedicating it exclusively for cargo transportation. He acknowledged that while the cost of building and maintaining rail lines is substantial, the benefits far outweigh the expenses, particularly in boosting the efficiency of cargo movement across the nation.<\/p>\n
The Executive Secretary also underscored the vital role of the shippers’ associations, describing them as a critical component of the council\u2019s operations. He assured them of the NSC\u2019s commitment to protecting their interests and supporting trade activities in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Addressing the Cargo Defence Fund (CDF), Mr. Akutah explained that the initiative provides comprehensive legal and technical support to importers and exporters. The services offered include litigation loans, foreign legal representation, and risk management advice. He emphasized that the CDF is designed to ensure the protection of cargoes, thereby fostering a thriving business environment.<\/p>\n
In addition, Mr. Akutah commented on the Bill for an Act to repeal the NSC Act and enact the Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill. He expressed optimism that the proposed legislation would introduce much-needed transparency, accountability, and efficiency into the maritime sector. The bill, he said, would strengthen the council\u2019s regulatory powers, reduce operational costs, increase competition, and ultimately improve service delivery.<\/p>\n
Concluding his remarks, Mr. Akutah reassured the Kaduna State Shippers Association of President Tinubu\u2019s commitment to transforming the maritime sector. He stated that the president\u2019s vision extends beyond traditional maritime activities, aiming to develop a comprehensive blue economy that will significantly contribute to Nigeria\u2019s economic growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pius Akutah, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers\u2019 Council (NSC), announced that the council has played a significant role in saving Nigeria billions of naira by effectively performing its statutory duties. Mr. Akutah made this statement during his maiden visit to Kaduna on Sunday, where he met with the council\u2019s staff and members of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":43977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43975"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43984,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43975\/revisions\/43984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}